Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		4.5

Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

Number 1 with a bullet.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman March 20, 2011

Wait a minute—aren’t cliffhangers supposed to come at the end of movies or episodes? So much transpired in the first installment of the riveting two part French gangster opus Mesrine that some viewers may be momentarily disconcerted to find themselves at the gruesome denouement of a cliffhanger set up in the opening segment of the first film, a segment which is then left behind in the dust of a long, involved recounting of the infamous French criminal’s “rise” to being named his country’s Public Enemy Number 1. That soubriquet in fact informs this second installment in the Mesrine story, and the film spends most of its time on a whirlwind tour of some the greater exploits of the main part of Mesrine’s criminal career, including several prison escapes which are as completely improbable as anything that happens in I Love You Phillip Morris, another film recently culled from real life reviewed here at Blu-ray.com which involves crazy prison breaks. Unlike Phillip Morris, however, which clothes its illegal activity in a certain naïve sweetness, Mesrine is all machismo and bluster, as Jacques Mesrine makes it clear he’s playing for keeps, whether that involves robbing a bank, bedding a “moll,” or, yes, busting out of prison. If anything this second part of Mesrine is even more visceral and exciting than the first. We already know the character, we’re aware he’s a ruthless, if sometimes surprisingly charming, “blue collar” criminal who somehow captures the French public’s fancy even after he goes on several murderous rampages. Mesrine is also inarguably an insecure narcissist, a man-child who flies off the handle when his arrest is relegated to the back pages of the newspaper when the coup d’état involving Augusto Pinochet is deemed more worthy of the front page and a 50-point headline font.

The aftermath.

But first, before the thrill ride of accompanying Mesrine on his high wire act of continuing an incredible crime spree in between largely incompetent attempts to incarcerate him, we’re back at the beginning of Public Enemy No. 1 at the shocking finale to the equally shocking opening moments of the first Mesrine film, Killer Instinct. Without posting any major spoilers, it probably won’t come as any great surprise to realize that Mesrine’s ultimate fate doesn’t exactly involve “happily ever after.” This is a man who had realized early on he was running against time and tide, and there would sooner or later be an ignominious end to Mesrine’s “lucky streak,” for wont of a better word.

What’s so bracing about this second film is just how long and to what frankly insane “heights” that lucky streak lasted and ushered Mesrine along, much like the raging water of a stream he manically paddles down in one of his many daring prison escapes. This was a man with nothing to lose, especially as he seemed to value his own life only slightly more—if even that—than any of the people he killed along the way. Breaking out of prison seemed to be a huge game for Mesrine, one which he played brilliantly, with flair and élan that embarrassed the French justice system and made Mesrine a sort of modern day Robin Hood to the French public. Against the daring-do and bravado, Mesrine is occasionally—very occasionally—shown to be someone with at least passing spasms of conscience and humanity.

For example, after taking a rural French family of four hostage after one of his many escapes, he forces the father to spirit him and his co-hort away in the trunk of his car (through a police blockade, no less), with the poor man’s wife and children in tow, just to ensure “loyalty.” The man manages to get Mesrine through the gauntlet and then the criminal shows an unexpectedly semi-gracious side by bestowing 100,000 Francs (stolen of course) on the poor farmer as a reward for his help and future “discretion” should he ever be questioned about Mesrine’s whereabouts.

And in fact this second part of Mesrine seems to dwell less on the criminal’s murderous rampages than on his inerrant ability to break out of even maximum security prisons, admittedly while taking potshots at the hapless police who realize too late they’ve been had yet again. This focus has both benefits and detriments for Public Enemy No. 1. The benefit is this film is inarguably faster paced and more exciting than the first installment, with one incredibly visceral sequence after another, all brilliantly staged by director Jean-François Richet. The detriment is we lose something of the brutally ruthless quality that informed the first half of Mesrine’s story, and he seems here a basically good-natured guy who just happens, to borrow the tagline of Bonnie and Clyde, “to kill people.” The first part of Mesrine made it abundantly clear that the title character was a man without scruples, a hard-boiled criminal with psychopathic tendencies who barely blinked as he robbed and pillaged (and murdered). This second part of Mesrine, while undoubtedly exciting and even breathless, seems once-removed from the character’s inherent animalistic tendencies, and the film seems more like a prison break fantasy at times than a revealing portrait of the guy doing all the escaping.

On the other hand, there are passing glimmers of insight into Mesrine here that were largely absent in Killer Instinct. As I mentioned in my review of that installment, the first half was surface deep, probably by intent, portraying a man with little if any inner life. Here, as in an interesting courthouse scene where Mesrine disparages the French justice system in a funny-scary sequence, we see flashes of guilt and perhaps even self-awareness pass over Mesrine’s face as the prosecutor recounts his nefarious “adventures.” That element is largely lacking in Killer Instinct, and it gives at least the semblance of some emotional depth to this outing.

As in the first film, Public Enemy No. 1 is a tour de force for Vincent Cassel as Mesrine. Though the film has been compared repeatedly to Scorsese’s Goodfellas, it really is more of a personal portrait a la The Godfather Part II, and in fact Cassel bears a certain resemblance, both physically and in acting style here, to Robert De Niro. Like De Niro’s Vito Corleone, Jacques Mesrine is an “up from the streets” criminal who sees his escapades as a business, a business he pursues with ruthlessness and a certain flat emotional affect. Cassel has the same sideways smirk as De Niro, and the same sudden bursts of manic violence which seem to erupt out of nowhere. It’s an incredibly visceral performance and one which easily elevates Cassel to the front rank of international actors.

Even with the passing tip of the hat to Mesrine's shallow interior life, Public Enemy No. 1, like Killer Instinct, isn't really interested in Mesrine's motives, at least insofar as they pertain to his actual crimes. What matters here is his vicious fight to remain "free" (that being of course a decidedly relative term in this context) at any cost. That very viciousness is what informs and propels this film, making it one of the most exciting gangster films of the past several years.

Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1, as with Killer Instinct, sports a very sharp looking AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.34:1. Though this longish film is offered on a single layer 25G Blu-ray disc, there are no egregiously noticeable compression artifacts to be found, and indeed the image is crisp, clear and very well detailed. This second installment is noticeably darker than the first outing, and at times contrast is not quite robust enough, leading to some very minor crushing in the darkest sequences. Otherwise, though, this is a great looking transfer that offers richly saturated color and wonderful fine detail, especially in the close-ups. Richet's location footage looks fantastic, with some great aerial shots of the French countryside that offer beautifully variegated palettes and abundant detail.

Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As with Killer Instinct, while there is an above-average English dub included on this release, I recommend sticking with the original French language track, delivered here via an excellent lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. Public Enemy No. 1 benefits from several incredibly exciting chase sequences, which involve some impressive immersive aspects, and there are also numerous shootouts, all of which feature extremely robust LFE. While the chase sequences offer a panoply of exciting sound effects ricocheting around the surrounds, there's also very nice attention paid during relatively quieter moments. The opening scene involving hordes of reporters has extremely natural ambient crowd sounds filling the surrounds, and, later, when Mesrine is in one of his many prison cells, the palpably claustrophobic sounds of the prison are appropriately muted and almost surreal sounding. Dialogue is delivered cleanly and clearly. There's not a wealth of underscore here, which is actually a good thing, but dialogue, effects and the minimal score are all mixed expertly and the track bristles with abundant energy and spot on fidelity.

Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately those hoping that the supplements included on the international editions of this film are going to be dissapointed. Only the Trailer (as well as other Music Box previews) is included.

Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As with Killer Instinct, we don't get a lot of psychobabble, either about Mesrine or indeed about his many collaborators and enablers through the years. Instead we get one slam bang (emphasis on the bang) moment after another, highlighted by a string of completely improbable, but brilliantly staged, escape sequences, several of which contain some impressive car chases which are wonderfully filmed by Richet. There are some passing moments of remorse at least hinted at in Public Enemy No. 1, but this is a calculated depiction of an iconic criminal which, while perhaps not glamorizing its subject, doesn't want to explore any psychological nooks and crannies either. Be that as it may, Public Enemy No. 1 is a virtually nonstop thrill ride, one of the most exciting gangster films in recent cinema history, and it offers a knockout performance by Vincent Cassel. Highly recommended.